A Novice's Guide to Winery Tourism
Sharing a glass of wine in good
company is always a pleasure. It's the best time to put the world
to rights, sort out your thoughts, express your feelings and
opinions and, last but not least, a good opportunity to take time
out from the stresses and pressures of life.
The world of wine and, by extension, wine tourism is on the up, and there are plenty of trips, courses, flights, events and organized visits to wineries that invite you to try out this new form of tourism.
And because everyone needs to know the basics so they don't seem like a novice, here the eDreams Travel Blog gives you some key pointers so you can look like a seasoned wine taster. So pick up a glass of wine and relax, because you're in good company…
General Advice
- First of all, listen carefully and maintain an attentive expression. Pay attention from the laboratory, to the hopper for the grapes, the storage tanks, the huge steel vats, the fermentation and aging cellars, right down to the bottling and labelling machines.
- Learn a few words to repeat frequently throughout your visit. Some that will serve you well include malolactic conversion, fermentation, breathing and ageing.
- Then, with a glass of wine in hand, take the opportunity to ask a few specific questions while trying to not look like you're too lost. Bring some rehearsed queries just in case.
- Don't risk taking one side of the debate or the other if you don't have clear ideas. When it comes to wine, if you don't know what you're talking about you will always end up losing…
- When it's time to taste the wine, take your glass firmly by the stem, and move the contents around in a circular motion. Make it look like it's not your first time.
- Finally, have fun learning about the fascinating and multifaceted culture that is wine, along with all those idiosyncrasies that make it special.
The Best Wineries on the World's Wine Routes
Now you know a bit about what to
do in a winery, it's time to find out which are the best wineries
to visit via a scenic route with plenty of flavour. Just choose
the destination you fancy, the one you've never been to but would
like to visit, book a cheap flight and
enjoy…
- Château Mouton Rothschild, located in Bordeaux, France. Here is where you'll find one of the best red wines in the world, as well as a museum exhibiting the process of handmade wine. This chateau is the only one in the list that is only open to those who book in advance.
- Robert Mondavi Winery, located in Napa Valley, California, USA. This was one of the first wineries to offer wine tourism and it's now one of the most popular.
- In Spain go to bodega Marqués de Riscal, in the Rioja region - where else was it going to be? It's an architectural icon well worth visiting.
- Weingut Juliuspital, in Frankonia, Würzburg, Germany. A sixteenth century cellar with a surprise in store - 200 large baroque helmets.
- Musée du Vin in Beaune, Burgundy, France. This museum / XV century cathedral takes you back in time to 600 years ago, when wine was produced with wooden presses.
Have you decided where to go for your first wine tour? Have you taken note of our advice? Sure, you're pining for your next getaway... Take your partner, your best friend, or else you could just treat yourself to a relaxing break. The aroma of wine is sure to help you find tranquility.
